The Indication

 

One fine Friday evening of December.

Days are changing and with passing times life is surprising prodigiously. Some indications are antagonizing against atheism approach about life and some indications are so strong for they are making me believe in the exquisiteness of life yet again. As Leo Tolstoy penned in his classic War and Peace, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”.

They say, invest faith in time as it returns some real miracles. I’ve received an offer from Mumbai from a rival company in the field. Initially, I hesitated to accept but the reason as I’ve to travel to Mumbai rooted deep greed in my mind for, I couldn’t deny. I know leaving Chennai, the city where I dreamt once to build my empire is never going to be easy, yet the new rays of hope are certainly giving me the charming touch of winter sun. I have a lot to share with Aanshi, I’m sure she would love the news. This weekend, once she calls, will tell her everything.

 

(Ring) (Ring)

“Hey, what a surprise!” I extolled picking up the call. That was Aanshi on other side.

Aanshi: “Surprise? I hope my call has now become normal”

“Yes! I didn’t mean your call, today is Friday. Not a weekend and if I’m not wrong maybe this is your first call on any weekdays” I fortified.

Aanshi: “Dev, do you keep a count on them?”

“Nope, I didn’t mean in that way. But yes, I remember details of our every call” with a fumbling tone I said.

Aanshi: “Hmm… Details like?”

“Like, on which day you called? What time you called? What we spoke about? Etc & etc.” I replied with an elation.

Aanshi: “What is the storage capacity of your brain?”

“Well! I don’t know, why?” I sounded naive.

Aanshi: “No, No, Nothing. I own a brain of some mega-bytes. So, store very less”

A laugh echoed.

“I’ll try to erase some data. You know, just to free up some spaces” I added pausing my laugh.

Aanshi: “No, don’t do that. I love to reside there.”

“Sorry, reside where?” I questioned in a flash.

Aanshi: “In your brain”

Silence ruled over the next few seconds.

Aanshi: “I mean who doesn’t love the fact that people remember them?”

“Oh! You’ve been in my thoughts ever since we spoke for the very first time” I added to break her clumsiness.

Aanshi: “Really?”

“Yes! I still remember your raging tone for Payal” I ridiculed.

Aanshi: “Common! Forget that part alone”

HA- HA – HA (a laugh buzzed)

Aanshi: “You know, I was thinking about you yesterday”

“Thinking about me?” I asked paradoxically.

Aanshi: “Yes! not only yesterday. In fact most of my times”

“Now I’m excited. Tell me how I crossed your memories lane?” I questioned her back.

Aanshi: “Everything about you. Like, all our talks, the last dinner and everything”

“Even I must admit, my days are brighter ever since you crossed my path” I appended.

Aanshi: “So it’s a win-win situation for both of us!”

“Yes! Yes!” I nodded with her.

“I have something to share.” I said after pausing a second.

Aanshi: “Wow! Even me too”

“Then you go first!” I replied.

Aanshi: “No! Remember charity begins at home, so you go first”

“Remember our culture, Ladies first” I backed.

Aanshi: “No this time you gotta listen to me”

“Okay!” comforting her I paused for a long breathe.

“Guess what!  I am finally leaving Chennai” I revealed the secret that I was treasuring for the weekend.

Aanshi: “No! Don’t tell me you’ve again been traumatized, and this decision is just a rection of that”

“No. Not at all! Got a new job in Mumbai and traveling there next month” I added.

Aanshi: “No, you are lying”

“Why would I?” I asked.

Aanshi: “Guess what was my surprise?”

“I’ve no idea” I reacted.

Aanshi: “I’m going on a family vacation to Mumbai during next FY start”

“You better be kidding.” I with a startling tone said.

Aanshi: “Why would I?”

“This cannot be a mere co-incident,” I said.

Aanshi: “My brother stays there. His flatmate is going on leave next month and so we’ve decided to occupy that flat for a whole week. See, how smart my family is” (she chuckled)

“I still don’t believe we both will be in Mumbai at the same time” I said.

Aanshi: “I’ve not yet asked permission from my manager about this, Par wo khadus mana nahi karega”

“Why have you not yet informed?” I questioned.

Aanshi: “I was in a dilemma if to join my Mom and Dad?”

“Wouldn’t that be relaxing for you?” I asked.

Aanshi: “Yes! But I do not like to spend my whole week in a boy’s apartment”

“Ahh!! So that’s the issue! but only your brother and parents will be there” I added.

Aanshi: “Yes! and now that you’ll be there will re-think about it”

“Oh! Yes! you must re-think” I said with a commanding tone.

Aanshi: “Was that an order?”

“Hey! No.. Ummmm. Not at all, just a suggestion” I shied on the very moment.

Aanshi: “Common! If that’s an order I’ll rethink, otherwise let it be”.

I exhaled after her words. How to make one comfortable, one should learn from her. Maybe this is an attribute she has developed after years of being in the insurance business.

“Then it’s an order! Take it in this way” I said with an ecstasy.

Aanshi: “Now, as this is an order, why would I obey this?” (she sounded frisky)

For a moment I felt like a toy car and she is with the remote. My emotions were twirling as she was spinning the joystick in her hand.

“Okay! I got it. Take this as a request” I hissed after pausing for a second.

Aanshi: “Okay! Now that this is a request, shall re-think”.

HA-HA-HA (A smile thrived)

Aanshi: “So, do you get it why did I call you on Friday?”

“To tell me this news” I replied.

Aanshi: “Yes! It now feels good to share everything with you immediately”

“And I was desperately waiting for the weekend and your call to share” I said.

Aanshi: “No! you were not desperate, I was indeed!”

“How do you say that?” I asked.

Aanshi: “Yesterday I heard about the plan and see, here I am sharing everything with you today, this is what you call desperation”

“But I was waiting for your next call to share everything” I backed my side.

Aanshi: “Mr. Kanzoos! Don’t you know they have made voice calls free? Do you need someone else to dial my number and hand over the phone to you to speak?”

“Certainly no! But to get a call from you has its own magic” I tried my best to overpower her argument.

Aanshi: “That’s my Love for you, that I call you every time”

Wait! What! Did she just say, “That’s her Love”? “Don’t overthink, don’t overthink” the mini-me warned me twice within a fraction of a second.

“What did you just say?” breaking the silence I questioned to appease my overthinker mind.

Aanshi: “What did I say?” (with a cynical tone she questioned me back)

“Just repeat what you said now” I reframed my ask.

Aanshi: “Hmmm, Iiiiiii…… Saaaaaaiiiiid……. That’s my Love for you, that I call you every time” (with a very miniature voice she repeated her words yet again)

“You see, I was not overthinking. She is holding her words still” my mind took no time to argue with that Mini-Me. “This is unreal” the Mini-Me replied in return.

“So, you call out of your Love for me?” This time the Mini-Me questioned to reconfirm.

Aanshi: “Yes! If I don’t love to speak with you, why would I even call?”

I went on silent for a considerable period.

Aanshi: “Dev! You there?”

“Yes! Yes! I am” I repeated twice.

Aanshi: “You went on silent mode”

“You know what! It just felt good to listen to what you said” breaking my silence I conveyed my thoughts.

Aanshi: “Is it? Then I’ll tell it thousands of times”

“Now that I know, how would even they make any difference in the future?” I questioned.

Aanshi: “You never know! Just like even after eating 5 Rasagoolas you crave for the 6^th one!”

“Ahhh!! That’s a good one!” I smiled.

Aanshi: “Now, my heart is pushing me hard to ask a question”

“Don’t give it a second thought, go for it and ask” I said with no time.

Aanshi: “Is there any way can we meet in Mumbai?”

“You just asked my question” I reacted.

Aanshi: “I think it will be possible, but again..”

“But again… what?” I urged her to reveal her tacit thoughts immediately.

Aanshi: “You know, my entire family will be there. Umm… and I’m not sure how to steal a moment from them for you”

“Hey! Let’s just leave that on time. I am sure we will pull that up somehow.” I cheered her.

Aanshi: “I hope so”

“You know, I too have a question. Hmm… you can say a similar kind of.” I said with an exhilarating voice.

Aanshi: “Go for it, and ask”

“We have not seen each other, how are we going to identify each other the day we meet?” I asked out of keenness.

Aanshi: “That’s also true! I have not thought about it.”

“Now, at the moment we should be thinking about this” I added to her.

Aanshi: “Yes! let's do that. Do you have any idea?”

“Well! How about you send me a photo of your and I send you a photo of mine” I proposed.

Aanshi: “Dev! No! This is what we have already agreed upon. We are not going to see each other virtually until we meet direct.”

“Well then….!!!” I hissed.

Aanshi: “Suggest some other ideas”

“I have another idea,” I said aloud.

Aanshi: “What is that?”

“How about, instead of sending a photo you draw your image with a pencil and send me?” I proposed a different plan this time.

Aanshi: “Well! This sounds good. Let’s do that.”

“Great! Let’s do that now” I added.

Aanshi: “Okay! You do the same as well”

“Okay! I am going to draw myself as well” I assured her back.

Aanshi: “Dev! Tell me one thing. How good you are at painting?”

“You can rate me in negative, I am such good at it” I blunted my imperfection.

Aanshi: “So, you are like the Majnu Bhai of Welcome”

“Hmm!! Nope. Majnu Bhai can even score 2 out of 10” I mocked myself.

A laugh buzzed.

“Tell me, how good you are at painting?” this time I repeated her question to her.

Aanshi: “We share the same skill set, Dev. You too can rate me in negative”

“Perfect! Now this is a perfect competition” I re-joined with a smile.

Aanshi: “Let me grab my pencil and some papers”

“I have them in hand. Let me know when you get them, will start at a time” I whispered.

Aanshi: “Here we go!”

 “You got the paper and pencil?" I asked.

Aanshi: “Yes! I have them in hand now”

“Let’s start then.” I said.

Aanshi: “Wait! We have been doing it wrong”

“Wrong? I didn’t get you” I asked.

Aanshi: “We are not going to draw our own images. Let’s draw each other”

“Each other? we have not seen each other yet” I added.

Aanshi: “True! That’s the fun! All these days we’ve been speaking with each other. Let’s see how are we imagining the other to be in mind.”

“Fun! As you say then” I nodded with her.

After a minute of silence, a smile gurgled on other side.

“Aanshi, what’s the matter?” I asked to know the other side's fun.

Aanshi: “This is really funny.”

“Have you finished?” I asked.

Aanshi: “Ohh! Yes! Legends don’t take a long time”

“Common! send me then” I requested.

Aanshi: “Nope! Will send it at a time. Let me know when you’re done with my drawing”

“It’s almost done. Just 5 more seconds” I said.

Aanshi: “Take your time. I am excited to see the result”

“It’s done” I confirmed.

Aanshi: “Then let’s send!”

“How should I send? You are not on any app” I questioned.

Aanshi: “Save that in Drive and send me the link of the same, I am sending the link of mine”

“Great. Doing” I added to her.

Within the next 30 seconds, my phone flashed with a message from her. I hurriedly tapped on the notification to expand the message window. It was with a link to Google Drive. With no time I touched the link to open. 

“Aanshi! Is this my image?” looking at the drawing I questioned.

Aanshi: “Wait! I am also asking the same question. Is this my image?”

“What made you think that I have one round eye and the other a triangle?” I asked with a hilarious tone.

Aanshi: “What made you think that I have round eyes? Do you think I look like an anime?”

“Wait! Look at my mouth. How on earth is this even possible to have such widespread mouth from one ear to other?” with a sarcastic tone I questioned again.

Aanshi: “Look at my mouth. I only have a single line with no lips at all”

“And my neck! Looks like my head is resting on a bamboo pipe” I again passed a satire comment.

Aanshi: “Look at my neck as well! And be thankful for I’ve given you the entire body. You Mr. Kanzoos, what you think I’m living without a body?”

“Ohh!! You’ve given me a body? Where is my leg? And is that even a body at all?” I mocked.

Aanshi: “Whatever! I’ve still tried to make you a full man”

“Look at your hairs, how beautifully I have drawn them, and look the way you have drawn. Seems like a bunch of wood pins been hammered on my head” This time I did a little comparison of both of our skills.

Aanshi: “Okay! On this point, I’m not arguing with you”

“You score a perfect negative 10 out of 10” I mocked her yet again.

Aanshi: “Whatever! I told you I am a legend. So, I am! But look at you. You draw quite good and pretended of being a noob”

“Believe me this is the best that I could ever do, nothing more than this” I added. 

Aanshi: “Now, do you realize how bad was your idea of identifying each other from painting?”

“Yes! But anyhow, this was fun. Isn’t it?" I asked.

Aanshi: “Yes! It was. I probably held pencil after a year”

“Thank me later for that” I pulled a bit of humor. 

A laugh echoed.

Aanshi: “The question of how to identify each other is still remaining a maze?”

“Let’s leave this in the hands of Time yet again” I replied.

Aanshi: “Yes! let’s see how things will be on our doomsday”

“I am sure we both will pull this out in some way or other” I assured her.

Aanshi: “Hope so! I’m investing my trust in you My Genie”

“My Genie” was not the first time she said those words. Every time she says this, an unknown smile rules over my face.

“Make sure you speak to your Manager and get permission about vacation” I reminded her with a smile.

Aanshi: “Next thing I am doing after this call”

“So now?” I whispered.

Aanshi: “Now! Nothing. This was the best call we had so far.”

“Feelings are mutual” I added.

Aanshi: “Hope to see you in Mumbai”

“I am hoping the same” I nodded with her.

Aanshi: (with a smile) “This is late evening now, will just make a quick call to the manager and will keep you informed what he says”

“Great! You have a great evening ahead then!” I wished her as an indication of adieu to call.

Aanshi: “You too, Dev. Definitely! This is a great evening.”

We both then hung up the call with a mutual “Bye”, and of course with a smile.

After an hour, my mobile notified me of the arrival of a message. It was from her, read as

“Yayyyy!!! And the Khadoos maangaya” (Yayyyy!! And the Khadoos approved)

I quickly replied, “Just can’t wait for the day to come”

“Me too” A reply from her arrived in no time.